Resilient pad structure



Nov. 28, 1961 M. KoENlGsBERG RESILIENT PAD STRUCTURE INVENToR.

. mwa, @www Filed DeC. 24. 1956 United States Patent- Filed Dec. 24, 1956, ser. No. 630,267 s claims. (C1. sp-ssi) The present invention relates to a novel resilient pad structure, and more particularly to a novel resilient pad structure which may be utilized in mattresses, chairs, cushions and the like.

One difficulty encountered in making resilient pads is that often the resilient materials used do not have both the proper density and the desired sponginess or resiliency to satisfy the requirements of a particular installation. For example, when the resilient material is a synthetic foam rubber such as polyurethane, it is difhcult to provide the material with a density which is sufficient to obtain adequate ruggedness and durability while at the same time providing the material with sufficient resiliency to obtain the desired feel. It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a novel pad structure utilizing a resilient material which is sufficiently rugged and durable, which pad structure may also be easily formed so as to obtain the desired softness or feel.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel resilient pad structure which may be easily constructed so as to obtain various degrees of softness without changing the density and, therefore, the durabirity of the resilient material or foam rubber incorporated into the pad structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel pad structure of the above described type which may be easily adapted for various uses in mattresses, furniture, cushions and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention wiil become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view partially broken away showing a mattress utilizing a pad structure incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a lfurther enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3 3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a mattress or cushion structure incorporating another modified form of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6 6 in FiG. 5.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a mattress or cushion lil` shown in FIGS. l and 2 includes a coil spring unit of any suitable construction generally designated bythe numeral 12, and one or more resilient pads 14 covering one or both sides of the spring unit. The pads 14 may be covered with pads 16 made from felt or the like in the usual manner, and the assembly is enclosed with the usual ticking 18.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. l through 3 each pad 14 includes a plurality of relatively discrete blocks 20 which are shown as formed from foam rubber or the like but may be made from other suitable resilient material such as cotton felt. The density of each of the blocks 20 is sufflcient to provide the desired ruggedness and durability, and the blocks are arranged in a predetermined pattern and are spaced from each other predetermined amounts so that the density ofthe over-` all pad structure is provided with the desired resiliency or softness. The blocks 20 are sandwiched between and secured to a pair of ieXible sheets 22 and 24 in order to maintain the desired predetermined arrangement of the blocks within the pad structure. In the embodiment shown, the blocks 20 are adhesively secured to the sheets 22 and 24, but alternatively, the blocks may hevstapled, sewn or otherwise secured to the sheets. The ftlexible sheets 22 and 24 may be made from -any suitable material or fabric and may, for example, be made from glue sized coarsely woven cotton fabric as shown in the drawings or from metal screening. Further, by way of example, the flexible sheets 22 and 24 may be formed from plastic such as polyethylene to which the blocks could be secured in the manner described above or by heat sealing. It should also be appreciated that for certain installations one of the flexible sheets could be eliminated and the other sheet would be sufficient to maintain the blocks in the desired arrangement.

The over-all density and, therefore, the softness or feel of the resilient pad structure may be modified as desired by changing the arrangement, spacing or shape of the blocks. An example of such a modification is shown in the mattress structure 16a of FIG. 4 wherein the blocks 20a are in the form of elongated strips. Other elements in FIG. 4 which correspond to elements of the structure described above are designated by the same reference numerals with the suiiix a added. It will be appreciated that the resilient pads shown in FIGS. l through 4 and described above may be used as insulators in various spring structures or as padding in mattresses, cushions, chairs of various types, upholstered furniture and the like.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another embodiment of the present invention wherein elements corresponding to those described above are identified by the same reference numerals with the suffix b added. In this embodiment the thickness of the discrete blocks Zilb has been increased so that the blocks take the place of the above described spring unit in the mattress or cushion assembly 10b. Furthermore, the eXible fabric sheets 22b and 24h are in the form of a tube which is sewn transversely at spaced intervals indicated by the numerals 26 to provide individual .pockets in which the blocks 20b are retained.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An assembly of the type described comprising: a fabric envelope; felt padding immediately inside of said envelope; a coil spring unit within said padded envelope; and a resilient pad disposed between said spring unit and said padding along at least one common surface thereof, said resilient pad including a plurality of blocks of resilient material spaced-apart by being secured to at least one exible sheet in a regular pattern.

2. An assembly of the type described comprising: a fabric envelope; felt padding immediately inside of said envelope; a coil spring unit within said padded envelope; and a resilient pad disposed between said spring unit and said padding sandwiching said spring unit, said resilient pad including a plurality of blocks of resilient, foamed elastomeric material spaced-apart by being secured to at least one flexible sheet in a regular pattern.

3. An assembly of the type described comprising: a flexible envelope; fibrous padding immediately inside of said envelope; a coil spring unit within said padded envelope; and a resilient pad disposed between said spring Patented Nov. 28, 1961 unit and said padding along at least one common surface f FOREIGN PATENTS there0 f,h said resilient pad including a plurality of blocks 20,485 Great Britain Sept. 15J 1911 of reslhent naaterral spaced-apart by bemg secured to at 305,911 Great Britain Feb. 14 1929 least one flexible sheet 1n a regular pattern. 5 335,571 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1930 References Cited in the me of this patent 'j Y V jf: El i UNITED STATES PATENTS 593,534 Germany Feb. 2s, 1934 1,834,545 Micon Dec. 1, 1931 507,215V Great Britain June 9, 1939 1,906,893 Young f f May 2y 1933 539,576 Great Britain Sept. 16, 1941 2,538,606 Austin 14113719,A 1953 10 559,279 Great 'Britain Feb. 11, 1944 2,738,834 Jaffe'et 1 Mar; 20, 1955 629.771 Great Britain Sept. 28, 1949 2,792,320 Bower May 14, 1957 

